Ohio superintendent resigns amid student-sex charges

Tuesday

On Tuesday, the Windham Board of Education was expected to accept the resignation of Laura Amero, 35.

WINDHAM, Ohio — The suspended superintendent of an Ohio school district who has been charged with sexual battery from allegations she pursued sex with students has resigned.

On Tuesday, the Windham Board of Education was expected to accept the resignation of Laura Amero, 35, who has pleaded not guilty to four felony counts and two misdemeanor counts stemming from charges that she had sex with a high school student in 2017 when he was 16, and attempted to have sexual relations with another student when he was 16 and 17 between 2015 and 2017, according to an indictment filed in Portage County Common Pleas Court.

“This letter is an official notice that I am resigning from my position as superintendent of the Windham Exempted Village School District,” the letter, dated May 31, reads in its entirety.

The board will also interview four candidates to replace Amero during an executive session on Tuesday, although no formal decisions are anticipated that day.

Amero served as assistant superintendent under Isler, and the assistant position was created specifically for her in order to ease the transition. She had been given a 3 ½ year contract paying $96,500 per year, and her first day was Feb. 1. Two months into his retirement, Isler asked to return on April 1, when the district and the Windham Police Department released separate statements indicating that Amero had been placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of an investigation of professional misconduct by the police department.

On April 22, Amero pleaded not guilty to two third-degree felony counts of sexual battery in connection with one of the victims, now age 18, two fourth-degree felony counts of attempted sexual battery in connection with the second victim, now 19, and two first-degree misdemeanor counts of intimidation of a crime victim or witness. The intimidation allegedly took place March 28, according to court records. Amero was principal of the junior/senior high school during the times the alleged sexual battery occurred and superintendent when the alleged intimidation occurred.

On April 24, the board suspended Amero without pay.

Amero’s next court date is June 14 for a criminal pre-trial with Judge Laurie J. Pittman.